OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of additional backward walking training on postural control in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. SETTING: Physical therapy clinics. SUBJECTS: Thirty spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsied children of both sexes (10 to 14 years, 14 girls and 16 boys). INTERVENTION: Children were randomly assigned into two equal groups: experimental and control groups. Both groups received a traditional physical therapy program for 12 weeks. Experimental group additionally received backward walking training which was provided 25 min/day, 3 days/week for 3 successive months. OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline and post-treatment assessment for overall, anteroposterior, and mediolateral stability indices were evaluated by using Biodex balance system. RESULTS: After treatment; two way ANOVA revealed significant improvement in overall, anteroposterior and mediolateral stability indices of experimental group at the most stable level (level 12) and moderately unstable level (level 7) (1.40 +/- 0.44 and 1.73 +/- 0.51; 1.11 +/- 0.34 and 2.13 +/- 0.52; 1.93 +/- 0.51 and 2.68 +/- 0.52) respectively, than control group (1.77 +/- 0.44 and 2.17 +/- 0.56; 1.44 +/- 0.44 and 2.54 +/- 0.49; 2.39 +/- 0.65 and 3.11 +/- 0.49) respectively (p < 0.05). There were significant improvement in all measured variables for both groups at both levels (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Additional backward walking training to traditional physical therapy program yields improvement in postural stability indices in children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy than traditional physical therapy alone.

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